Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-02-17
SERVICE PENSIONS.
The Dependent Parent and In.
digent Soldier Bill Vetoed
by the President.
Full Text or the Executives Mes
sage Objecting to the
Measure.

In the National House of Representatives
1lth inst, message was received from tn,
President transmitting without his approval tn,
dependent pension bill. The text of the mes
sage is AS follows:
ITO the House of Representatives: herewith
return without my approval House bill No
lOi5T, entitled AN act for the relief OF depend.
ent parents and honorably DISCHARGED soldiers
and sailors who are now disabled and depend
ent upon their own labor for support.
This is the first general bill that has been
sanctioned by Congress since the close Of the
late civil war permitting a pension to the sol
diers ana sailors who served in that war upon
the ground OF service and present disability
Sa sdsnEss as5s u saoS
service.
while by almost constant legislation since
the close OF this war there has been compensa-
ton awarded for every possible injury received
as result OF military service in the Union
army and while great number of laws passed
for tn tpurpose have been admin stored with
great liberality and have been supplemented
by numerous private acts to reach Sd cial
cases there has not, until ow, been an avowed
departure from the principle thus far adhered
to respecting Union soldiers that the bounty of
the Government in the way OF pensions is
generously bestowed when grant d to those
who in this military service and in line Of
inillt1ry duty, have to greater or less extent
been disabled
But it is a mistake to suppose that service
pensions, such as are permitted by tho second
section OF the bill under consideration, are new
to our Legislation In 1915 thirty-five years after
the close of the Revolutionary war; they were
granted to tho soldiers engaged in that strug-
gle, conditional upon service to the esd OF the
war. or for a term not less than nine months,
and requiring every beneficiary under the act to
be one who is, or hereafter by reason of his re-
ducel circumstances in life shall be- in need
Of assistance from his country for support An
other law OF like character was passed in 1923,
requiring service to tho close of tho Rev
olutionary war, and still another, passed in
1882, provided for those persons not included in
the previous statute, but who served two years
ut some time during the war, ana giving pro-
rortonate sum TO those who had served not
less than six months.
"A service pension law was passed for the
benefit of the soldiers of 1912 in the year 1871
fifty six years after the close of the war which
required only sixty dayD service, and another
was passed in 1S7S-sixty-three years after The
war-requiring only fourteen days service.
"The service pension bill passed at this ses-
sion of Congress, thirty-nine years after the
close of the Mexican war, for the benefit of the
soldiers OF that war, requires either some de-
gree OF disability or dependency or that the
claimant under its provisions should be 62 years
OF age; and in either case that he should have
served sixty days or been actually engaged in a
battle.
1T will be seen that the bill OF 1918 and the
Mexican pension bill, being thus pnssd nearer
the close of the wars in which its benehciares
were engaged than the others-one thirty-fve
years and the ether thirty-nine years after the
termination of such wars-embraced persons
who were quite advanced in age, assumed 10 be
comparatively few in number, and whose cir
cumstances, dependence; and disabilities were
clearly defined and could be quite easily fixed
"Tho other laws referred to appear to have
been passed ut Il time so remote from the mill
tary service OF the persons which they en-
braced that their extreme age alone was deemed
to supply presumption Of dependence and
need.
The number Of enlistments in the revolu-
war OF 1872, 576,622 but IL is estimated that on
account OF repeated re-enlistments tho num-
Der of individuals engaged in these wars did
not exceed one-half Of the number represented
by these figures: In the war with Mexico tho
number of enlistments Is reported to be 1l2, $50,
which represents greater proportion Of indi-
viduals engaged than the reported enlistments
in the two previous wars.
"The number of pensions granted under all
laws to soldiers OF the revolution is given mt
62.oC9; to soldiers Of the war of 1872 ami their
widows, COLTS and to soldiers of the Mexican
war aud their widows, up to June 30, 1885,
7,o1'. This number of pensions was granted TO
the soldiers OF a war involving much hardship
for disabilities incurred as a result of such
service, and it was not till within the last
month that tho few remaining survivors were
awarded n service PENSION.
1.-The war of the rebellion terminated nearly
twenty-five years ago; the numbor OF men fur
ntshed for its prosecution is said to be 2772 403.
Under these statutes 5jl, SIG pensions have been
granted from the year 1861 to June 80 1886, and
more than 600 pensioners have been added to
the rolls by private acts passed to meet cases,
general laws did not cover On July 1, 1886,
s6j673 pensioners of all classes were upon the
pension rolls of whom 305 g s were survivors of
the war of the rebellion and their widows and
dependents for the year ending June 30, 1881,
: 80 O,0OJ have been appropriated for the pay
inent of Pcnsions, and the amount expended
SS03624, ,S1l.51.
"Whilo annually paying out such vast sum
Tor pensions already granted, it is now proposed
by the bill under consideration to award n SER
vice pension to soldiers Of all wars in which the
United states has been engaged inclu1ing of
course, the war OF the rebellion, and to pay
those entitled to the benefit OF the act SO per
month So far rs it relates to the soldiers OF the
late civil war, the bounty 1t affords them is
given thirteen years earlier than it has been
furnished to the soldiers OF any other war and
before large majority of its benefciaries have
advanced in age beyond the strength and vgor
OF the prime OF life. IL exacts only a military
or naval service OF three months, without any
requirements of actual engagement with an
enemy in battle, and without n subsection to
any of the actual dangers OF war
The pension it awards is allowed to enlisted
men who have not suffered the least injury
disability, loss, or damage of any kind incurred
in or in any degree referable to their military
service, including those who never reached the
mont at all and those discharged from rcndez.
vous nt the close of tho war IL discharged three
months after enlistment Under the last call
OF the President for troops, in December 1864
charged.
"The section allowing this pension does how
ever, require, besides service of three months
and an honorable discharge, that those seeking
the benefit Of the act shall be such as arc now
or may hereafter DO suffering from mental or
physical disability not the result Of their own
vicious habits or gross carelessness which in
capacitates them for the per ormance of labor
in such degree us to render them unable TO
earn support, and who are dependent upon
their daily labor for support.
1T provides fuitber that such persons shall
upon making proof OF the fact be placed on the
list OF invalid pensioners Of the United States,
and be entitled to receive for such total ina.
bilty TO procure their subsistence by daily la
Dor Sl2 per month, and such pension shall com
mence from the filing Of the application in the
Pension once, upon proof that the disability
then existed, and continue during the existence
OF the same in the degree herein provided, that
persons who are now receiving pensions under
existing laws or whose claims are pending in
the Pt nsion Office, may, by application TO the
Commissioner OF Pensions in such form as he
may prescribe, receive the benefit OF this act
1T is manifestly OF the utmost importance
that tatutcs, which, like pension laws, should
be literally administered as measures OF be.
nevolence i'm behalf of worthy benefciaries
should admit Of no uncertainty as to their gem
erdl oh .ects and consequences.
upon n careful consideration of the language
OF the section OF this bill above given, it seems
70 me TO be so uncertain, and liable 10 such con-
ficting constructions, and TO be subject 60 such
unjust and mischievous application, as TO alone
furnish sufficient ground for disappearing the
proposed Legislation. Persons seeking TO obtain
now or hereafter
Il Suffering from mental or physical disa-
bility.
o. Such disability must not be the result of
their own vicious habits or gross carelessness'
g. Such disability must be such as inca
pacitates them for the performance Of labor
In such degree as to render them unable TO
earn n support
"a They must be dependent upon their daily
labor for support
"5 Upon proof OF these condition they shall
be placed ON the list OF invalid pensioners of
the United States and be entitled TO receive for
such total inability 10 procure their subsistence
by daily labor sl2 per month